


Night of the Hugging Goat-Boy

by Zixzs



Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Cuddle, F/M, Fluff, horror movie, sleepover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24008044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zixzs/pseuds/Zixzs
Summary: A short bout of fluff in which Susie finds one more reason (or two) to like slasher movies.
Relationships: Ralsei/Susie (Deltarune)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	1. Part I

As expected, he was a bit of a wimp.

Maybe "wimp" was a bit harsh. Ralsei was still a Delta Warrior, after all. Saying he was a wimp was just an old habit Susie had yet to work on (or even really acknowledge). He was just… well, "squeamish" was probably a better way of putting it. Despite his status as the de-facto medic of the three, making sure everyone was healthy and prepared to avoid battle, Ralsei tended to avoid the more grotesque or ghastly sights of blood like the plague. Couldn't even handle a bit of cartoonish dismemberment, poor guy.

Susie also had to remember she had a bit of a leg up on him in that regard, too. Who knew how many R-rated slashers she snuck under the radar by now. That was also a bit of a habit, hence why she'd decided one such movie was a perfectly acceptable introduction to modern films for Ralsei. Didn't have a second thought about the conflict, really. At least Kris didn't seem to care one way or the other.

Well, maybe they did. Susie didn't hear either complaint or approval at her choice of movie. She did hear Ralsei's apprehensions when the comically bloody title card had faded in, and until that point, was ready to sit back and watch the carnage. Now she was ready for… well, she didn't really know, she guessed. Point was, she wasn't expecting Ralsei's aversion to slashers, but actively thinking about it, the case made sense. Even if it was kind of a downer.

To Ralsei's credit, he wasn't particularly vocal about his unease. They'd settled in about a half hour ago, letting the grainy audio of the television fill in the otherwise silent night. Not even the neighbors' lights were on, leaving only the brightness of the screen as some kind of illumination. More often than not, that left the spacious living room they sat in bathed in a deep crimson on account of "Blood-Knife III" being primarily about blood. Real shocker, there.

Kris, sitting atop the couch, seemed confident that their father wouldn't find out about what exactly three high-schoolers thought was an appropriate viewing experience. Susie didn't even know if their dad was in the house or out on some errand. As long as they didn't have any interruptions, she couldn't care less.

Susie had sat on the opposite end of the couch at first, chowing down on the combination of stolen popcorn and candy she'd thrown together (a classic of hers). She had decided that _maybe_ if Kris and Ralsei weren't total dorks, then, _maybe_ she _might_ have _potentially_ thought to get a bit more of her movie-going snackage on, if she _hypothetically_ wanted to share. Or she just wanted an extra helping of food for herself. Unfortunately, the biggest bowl Kris had still wasn't enough, and for every fistful of popcorn and candy she yanked from the bowl, about half a fistful spilled out onto the floor. Hence why Susie was now sitting there instead. Didn't want that stuff to go to waste.

Ralsei had sat in the middle back when Susie hadn't noticed the recurring avalanche of lost snacks, and seemed quite happy, at first. Not only was he getting introduced to one of the most entertaining things since toilet paper, but he was spending time with his two best friends. There was a definite sentiment that he was more than eager to make a note of. Somehow, it actually sounded endearing to Susie. Not that she told him as much, but still. It was pleasant enough that she'd offered her bowl of mixed treats, to which he happily obliged. So, thinking back on it, that must've been why he'd joined her on the ground when she moved there earlier with the bowl.

Then when it came to actually watching the movie, Susie had the odd thought that food wasn't his only motivator.

For the most part, Ralsei had been quiet after realizing what kind of movie Susie had chosen for everyone. It was one of the older ones, where most of the effects were cheap plastic masks and an excess of "blood" in every scene, so Susie had treated it as more of a comedy than anything else. Ralsei, though, didn't quite find the humor in how pathetically bad the movie portrayed itself. He simply sat there, occasionally wincing whenever the more "in-your-face" shots were shoved on the television screen. A couple glances at him told Susie enough. Every few minutes, she'd look over to Ralsei to see him curl up tighter and tighter into the slightly oversized shirt they'd found for him.

It was kind of… endearing. To look at.

Somehow.

What dampened the agreeable feeling was his expression. Not necessarily displeased, but more… scared. With the movie being as laughably over-the-top as it was, Susie couldn't immediately get why seeing some grainy splotch of red and black with a rubber machete covered in ketchup was unnerving. But again, she had to remember the gap of experience she and Ralsei had with this kind of movie. During one of the quieter scenes, she leaned to the side, mumbling through a mouthful of popcorn.

"'s not real, y'know," she told Ralsei, her tone deadpan. Ralsei about jolted from her voice, probably being captured by the movie's silence prior. He hummed, loosening his posture with that continually perturbed grimace. Then he nodded with what he probably hoped was a casual shrug. It wasn't too convincing.

"I-I know," he said back. One of his hands moved to adjust his glasses. Susie grunted with a much more authentic shrug, shoving her hand back into the bowl of food. There was still plenty to go, despite her best efforts.

A contemplative frown fell over Susie's features. The girl looked over the bowl at her side, then to Ralsei's troubled features. He could probably use some kind of distraction right about now. Not that Susie was explicitly worried about making him feel better, just that… well, in a way, it'd make the movie more enjoyable for herself.

Best just leave it at that.

"Here," she offered simply. Ralsei tore his eyes from the veritable lake of fake blood on the television to see Susie scooping out a massive handful of intermingled delicacies, more than a few bits scattering onto the carpet. She'd get those later. Wordlessly, she pushed the semi-crushed clump of candy towards Ralsei, feigning disinterest. After a few blinks, Ralsei smiled a little; the first time since they'd delved into the slasher flick, actually. The sight was kind of endearing, too.

Ralsei reached a paw towards the food, then paused. Confused, Susie tilted her head. Some more seconds passed, then Ralsei awkwardly cupped both of his paws underneath Susie's filled fist. They were a bit smaller than she anticipated. Another delay passed. Then Susie awkwardly relaxed her grasp, letting the bits of food she held spill into Ralsei's paws. They overflowed from the difference in size regardless.

"Thanks," Ralsei granted, looking over the candy and popcorn. As awkward as the exchange was, he did seem grateful. And sure enough, Susie found herself enjoying the movie that much more.

Well, she enjoyed herself a bit more, at least. Not necessarily the movie. Watching Ralsei ended up being more entertaining, as far as Susie was concerned. He carefully moved back against the couch, carrying his bounty with him and probably working out how exactly he was going to eat it without just shoving it all in his face at once. Susie was a little curious too. His relatively higher standards prevented him from just setting the pile on the floor, and the scattered nature of the food also kept him from just laying it on his lap. While the usual stingers and splatters played from the TV in front of them, Ralsei tried moving his hands multiple times to portion part of the food he held.

Three unsuccessful attempts later, Ralsei hummed, looking back to Susie. Then he saw how amused she looked, realizing what she'd just witnessed. A light pink tinted his cheeks.

"Um…" he uncertainly started, quiet. Susie kept her eyes on him in silence, still smirking. Both her hands were purposefully kept at her sides.

"Well?" she questioned. A fake air of offense could be heard in her tone. "You gonna eat that or what?"

The implication that returning Susie's offer would be rude, even though it really wouldn't be, incited Ralsei to nod. One more glance was given to the assortment of food in his hands. More sounds of rubber props and ketchup followed. Then, in what Susie could only describe as an equally desperate and incredible power move, Ralsei brought his paws directly to his mouth, chomping a huge chunk of food before struggling to chew it.

Susie stared at him. He stared at Susie. All the while crunching candy and popcorn as best as he could, cheeks bulging obscenely. An eternity later, he gulped with an audible gasp for air.

A few moments passed.

Susie snorted, then broke out into full-on laughter, throwing some more of the popcorn/candy combination from her bowl in the process. Ralsei had joined her about a half-second later, making a similar mess in how loosely he held onto the rest of Susie's gift. Now his posture had completely returned to normal, the prince relaxing as he chuckled alongside his companion. To think he'd been curled up in fear just a minute ago.

Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from the television, startling Susie enough to make her recoil. She didn't panic, per se. Ralsei did.

All Susie initially noticed was the movie she'd been ignoring. Blinking, she looked towards the screen, catching a glimpse of the comparatively higher volume now displayed over the array of red the camera was so focused on. Then she looked to the side to see Kris holding the television's remote, an irked expression on their features. They'd brought a single finger to their lips in a "shush" kind of motion. Susie grumbled, rolling her eyes. Only then did she recognize the furry grasp around her, and her eyes promptly broadened.

Ralsei's panic was unique in that, rather than jump a little and accidentally slam his elbow into the couch like Susie had, he grasped for whatever kind of security his arms could find. That security ended up being Susie. He held himself close to her, burying his head into the crook of her neck, face just above her chest. One of his horns poked at Susie's jaw. Weirdly, it wasn't that uncomfortable. Neither was the awkward stiffness of his glasses. Something still felt uncomfortable enough for a light warmth to flood Susie's face.

She glanced to the side for a moment. God, he was soft. Ralsei was silent, still holding himself tightly against her like a defunct action-gripping toy. Seeing his expression was currently impossible, but Susie had to guess that he was more than startled by the movie's spike in volume. Did he even know what he was doing, or…?

For a brief couple of seconds, Susie hesitated.

Aw, he was shaking a little…

"Ahem," she eventually cleared her throat. The noise was almost lost in the television's audio.

Still, Ralsei heard her, reanimating again over the next dozen seconds. He opened his eyes in surprise, slowly peeling himself away from Susie. Didn't seem to be in much of a rush. Susie watched his movements, ignoring the now louder slashing sounds coming from the television. At least Ralsei was also able to ignore them. He handled himself like glass, eventually able to make eye-contact with Susie. His arms took longer to move. If his eyebrows went any higher, they'd probably fuse with his horns.

"S-sorry," he stuttered out an apology. Saying he was embarrassed was an understatement. Susie, strangely enough, didn't really tease him about it, though. All she did was shrug meekly, turning to watch the movie again. Ralsei did the same. Something felt too different for Susie to pay much attention (not for lack of trying, though). The bowl at her side went untouched for a good while. Though she'd been so entranced by the film's terrible quality earlier, all her brain could put together now was, "Wow. He is unbelievably soft."

It wasn't even an exaggerated opinion, it was an absolute fact. Nothing Susie experienced before had come close to matching the feeling Ralsei incited. She wasn't thinking out of some weird fascination with Ralsei. He was just genuinely, _incredibly_ soft. To a level that stuck with Susie so much that she couldn't even find the same entertainment in the fake blood being thrown around on the television. Her hand laid in the bowl of food at her side, still as a statue.

Though she didn't sneak as many glances at Ralsei now, she had to notice that he didn't seem too aware of the movie in front of him either. Some lingering embarrassment ensured his cheeks stayed pink. He was huddled up like before, though probably for a different reason. Judging by how much more flustered than scared he looked…

Well, he had to still be scared, right? If he was paying attention to the movie. Which he wasn't, but he'd probably return to it eventually, so… if helping him forget about it earlier made Susie feel better, then…

Now Susie frowned. That _was_ kind of a jump in logic, especially for her. Her eyes stayed forwards, pretending to watch the television. Meanwhile, her non-eating arm relaxed itself, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Slowly, _very_ slowly, Susie lifted a scaled hand behind her, pretending to stretch onto the couch. She had to hope Ralsei hadn't been aware of the cliche since he was still new to movies.

The prince's eyes were still focused forwards. Susie hesitated for a moment, thinking. This wasn't… weird, was it? She just… wanted to enjoy the movie more herself. Like before. Comforting Ralsei was just a byproduct; the means to an end, nothing more. And, maybe, if she found out she wasn't misremembering and Ralsei really _was_ that soft, then, hey, lucky her. The dozen or so seconds he'd panic-hugged her didn't leave her too sure of the fact. Yeah, that was it.

Briefly, Susie glanced to the other side of the couch, seeing Kris with her peripheral vision. Her head didn't completely turn towards them, but she could've sworn they were giving her a thumbs up. That didn't exactly motivate her. It didn't stop her either, though. Swallowing whatever definition of pride she had, Susie untensed her arm, gradually bringing it off the couch behind her.

Slowly… slowly…

After what felt like years, her hand reached about the height of Ralsei's midriff, hovering next to him. Still he was looking at the movie intently. That didn't necessarily mean he was unaware of Susie's movements, but she hoped so. Nearly a minute passed. Then Susie forced her arm to tighten a fraction, and her hand came into contact with Ralsei's side.

There wasn't some bolt of lightning or flash of fire, despite Susie's paranoia. Ralsei didn't even recoil from the abrupt touch. He did straighten his back a little, though. The illusion of interest he awarded the television faded as he swiveled his head towards Susie, eyebrow raised in curiosity. Susie felt a bead of sweat on her brow. What was she supposed to say? _Was_ she supposed to say something?

"Um," was all she could muster. That probably wasn't it.

Ralsei simply looked at her with those green eyes of his. From what sliver of contact Susie could feel from her hand, he seemed to relax a fraction. Then, surprisingly, Ralsei just smiled in that weirdly soft way of his. It had a similar effect to his literal softness earlier. The next thing Susie knew, her hand more securely grasped around Ralsei. Sure enough, he was soft as hell. Almost like a plush toy. That effect was almost… intoxicating.

Weird.

Ralsei said nothing of Susie's grasp, which was completely fine by her. She was paranoid enough already. With that small bit of contact established, Ralsei looked back at the television again. The one difference was his smile. Susie couldn't say exactly when Ralsei had adjusted himself closer to her, as he moved about as slowly as she had (or maybe even slower). But he definitely _was_ closer to her. Maybe in more ways than one.


	2. Part II

It took a lot to wake Susie up.

Most people would think she wouldn't be as tired all the time because of that, but that unfortunately wasn't the case. For better or for worse, Susie grew up in a place where peace and quiet was an unaffordable luxury more often than not. Given her own boisterous nature, it was safe to assume she'd grown used to the constant noise by now. And yet, something as soft as a small whimpering brought her out from slumber.

Susie only grumbled a little, at first. The girl turned over in her sleeping bag, adjusting herself on the foreign floor as best as she could. A unique stubbornness kept her eyes shut. The whimpering only continued. With a small groan, Susie turned herself over again, her groggy mind unable to recall if Kris's father had a dog or not. If he did, Susie didn't remember it being so annoying.

Eventually, the sad noise peeled apart Susie's eyelids. Her back made a few subtle cracks as she pulled herself up from the ground, grumbling accordingly. One scaled hand moved to her face, rubbing what sleep she could out of her eyes with an irritated fist. A stark blackness permeated the room before Susie could recognize much about it. Now that the TV was off, only the distant dimness of a shuttered window allowed for any sort of light.

The couch lay just to her left, its weathered cushions serving as Kris's makeshift sleeping arrangements. They slept in an unsettling silence, about as quiet as usual. To Susie's right was a small collection of the last (or rather, current) night's menu. Scraps of popcorn kernels and candy bits messily splayed themselves over the carpet, more outside of their bowl than in it. There were the remote's dead batteries among the food too, but experience told Susie they didn't make as good of a snack. An unused beanbag sat a small distance from her sleeping bag, next to one of the room's windows. Finally, Susie's eyes wandered to the dilapidated sleeping bag her other companion rested in, just in front of the television.

The bag itself matched Susie's own, weathered and stretched from obvious use well beyond its lifespan. Ralsei lay inside, his green hat lying next to his glasses just a foot or two away. Even in the night's darkness, his fur was still doing its best to shine that prominent white usually hidden by his headwear. The Prince's pink horns shook with the rest of his jittery movements. Susie raised an eyebrow at him.

Confused, the girl squinted her sleep-encrusted eyes to get a better look at the boy. His expression was difficult to interpret from where she sat, but Susie could still see enough to know he wasn't sleeping. Not like most people did, at least. Most people didn't whimper and shake like he was so obviously doing. A couple seconds of contemplation passed. Then, rolling her eyes with another grumbling, Susie forced the rest of herself to move towards Ralsei. Some kernels of popcorn cracked underfoot as she silently strode towards him.

Crouching down, Susie looked over her friend's features. His eyes were shut, meaning he definitely _was_ still sleeping, but he didn't look too happy about it. A scared kind of worry twisted his usually cheery features into an unsettling knot. He must've been having some kind of nightmare. It… didn't sit well with Susie. She played with a few loose threads of her tank top for a brief hesitation. One more bout of whimpering passed before Susie sighed to herself.

"Hey," she whispered. Habit made her tone sound a lot more annoyed than concerned, but it wasn't like Ralsei could hear as much. Susie tried giving her friend a few pats on the cheek. "Hey, Rals. Wake up, dude. Rals."

Ralsei didn't immediately respond to the girl's attempts, still in the throes of his nightmare. It bothered Susie a lot more than it should've. She forgone her restraint with touching him, smacking him a little harder as she tried again. "You're havin' a nightmare. Rals. Wake up, man. C'mon."

That seemed to do the trick. Ralsei's eyes shot open in that fresh panic most nightmares leave people in, freezing in place. Subsequently, Susie froze in place, not expecting the jarring stare Ralsei greeted her with. Her hand stayed against the soft fur of his cheek for a couple seconds before Susie thought to move it back to her side. Ralsei blinked some degree of recognition into his eyes before looking around him, squinting.

Susie gave a quiet cough. "Sleep alright?" she asked, more rhetorical than concerned. On the surface, at least.

Ralsei gave himself a couple more seconds to collect himself. Eventually he discerned enough of reality to respond to Susie, sounding hoarse.

"Uhm…" he started, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in his sleeping bag. The guy looked exhausted. Susie watched him intently, countering the worry of her features with an apathetic cross of her arms. Ralsei reached towards his glasses as he continued in a dry voice. "N-not exactly, I suppose."

Susie continued watching him for a few more moments. The oversized shirt Kris and she had found for him was threatening to fall past his shoulder line, leaving part of his collarbone exposed.

"'S'matter?" Susie questioned, still hushed in the night. She scratched at her freckles with a disinterested huff of air. "Boogeyman get'cha or something?"

There was a drop of concern hidden among the teasing attitude of Susie's tone. Ralsei looked too groggy to notice, bringing a sheepish hand to the back of his neck. He glanced at the TV's reflection next to him. "No," he tried waving off. "Well, that is… not the 'boogeyman' specifically, I mean."

Susie followed his gaze, her own curiosity staring back at her. Then she remembered last-night's escapade with that horror movie she stole… er, "permanently borrowed." The girl's vast experience with the horror genre left her more amused by the film's attempts at scaring her. Ralsei, obviously, was a different matter.

"Right," Susie said, nodding to herself. That must've been the source of his nightmare. "Forget, you're kind of a wimp when it comes to that stuff, huh?"

Ralsei turned towards Susie, an embarrassed blush tinting his cheeks pink. "Uh, I suppose so."

Susie grunted. Made sense that Ralsei's first real scare would have a lasting impact on him. That didn't make Susie feel any better, though. Honestly, she seemed more upset than Ralsei, judging by his anxious chuckling.

"Thank you for waking me up," he told Susie. His hands fiddled with the sleeping bag's loose zipper. It had become more form than function a long time ago. Ralsei continued after a noticeable delay. "That was… unpleasant."

Again, Susie only offered a grunt. All the worry in the world wouldn't tell her what to say. Reassurance wasn't exactly her strong suit. Whether or not Ralsei really needed it was irrelevant, Susie found.

"Yeah, well," she responded in her trademark gruff tone. "All that whimperin' was annoying me."

A simple "You're welcome" would've sufficed. Ralsei's nervous smirk faded into a guilty pout. Similarly, a self-directed scowl pulled Susie's features towards the itchy carpet of the ground.

"O-oh," the Prince stuttered. The reddened embarrassment on his face intensified for a moment, nearly concealing his face in the night. "I was whimpering?"

Susie pretended to mull something over in her head for a moment. Then, one of her arms lifted from its cross to raise a hand, her thumb and index finger placed about an inch from each other. "Little bit."

Ralsei thought to himself for a couple moments. The silence was only exacerbated by how dead-quiet the rest of the night was, save for a few distant crickets outside. Or maybe it was daytime, technically. Susie was fairly sure that they'd stayed up well past midnight before even considering sleeping at their own sleep-over. Either way, the moon was still out. After some time, Ralsei brought his features back to Susie's.

"I apologize," he granted quietly. More than embarrassed, he seemed genuinely sorry. Not even the shadows could hide his expression this time around. "I, um, wasn't aware that was something I do."

Having her own stories with sleep-terrors, Susie's hard expression softened. A little, at least. Better than nothing. "Mhm," she hummed with a shrug. "Don't worry about it. I snore like a truck."

Somehow, that accrued a small laugh out of Ralsei. His brief grin proved hard to ignore. Susie continued, feeling her arms lose the forced tension she gave them just a seconds prior. She threw a hand in the air for dramatic effect. "Seriously. I got no idea how you n' Kris even managed to sleep in the first place. I'm like a fricken' chainsaw."

Ralsei suddenly burst out into a few good-hearted chuckles, the loose zipper of his sleeping bag _*clinking*_ with his laughs. It was a pleasant enough sound that Susie let her lips curl up in a satisfied smirk, watching the embarrassment disappear from Ralsei's features. Hard to imagine that he was having some terrifying nightmare just a minute or two ago.

"It isn't that bad," Ralsei assured the girl. He sat up a little straighter, glancing around the darkened living room for a few moments. Susie watched him carefully. His next couple of words had a strange apprehension to them. "In fact, I find it… surprisingly comforting."

At that, Susie raised an eyebrow. She had difficulty believing one of her more obtrusive qualities could be considered a good thing. _Comforting,_ no less. The skepticism of her face persuaded Ralsei to explain himself. Just like that, his embarrassment returned.

"N-not in any strange way!" he hastily added. Apparently he didn't really care about waking Kris or not. Susie didn't either. "I just mean… I've never been part of a 'sleep over' before. Hearing proof feels… nice."

Despite her more hard-headed nature, Susie understood what Ralsei meant surprisingly soon. There was a definite security in that sort of thing; a unique honesty that something was real enough. Knowing how lonesome Ralsei had been earlier in his life kept Susie from teasing his usual sappiness now. She simply nodded, adding a shrug as if to say, "Ah, I get it."

They fell into a mutual quiet, the only semblance of a sound being those crickets outside. Susie didn't trust herself enough to add anything meaningful to Ralsei's confession. She hadn't partaken in sleep-overs before, either, but most of the glamour had been in watching the horror movie with her friends. Though, she'd be lying if she said sleeping anywhere other than her own home had its perks. But now wasn't really the time for a conversation like that.

Ralsei's hands moved back to fiddling with his sleeping bag, making a few _*clinks*_ of metal. Susie wasn't sure if that was a nervous habit or some placeholder for a conversation. She wasn't about to ask. Her hands graduated from playing with the threads of her tank-top to playing with the threads of her shorts. Not much of an improvement.

"Well…" she eventually drew out, trying to downplay the sudden awkwardness she found herself in. Ralsei looked to be in a similar boat. A hefty couple of seconds passed. "Uh. Goodnight. I guess."

Ralsei blinked in befuddlement a few times. "R-right," he said with an over-enthusiastic nod. "Um, g-goodnight, Susie. Thank you again."

Susie nodded back at him. As glad as she was for getting him to laugh, she couldn't entirely shake off the concern Ralsei had given her. It was a foreign feeling, kind of like actually _wanting_ to go to school or associate with people. The desperate scraps of that feeling prevented her from getting up from the ground and moving back to her own sleeping bag. At the same time, Susie's stubbornness halted any words that might've escaped her lips. She just sat there like an awkward brick.

Ralsei looked at her for a few seconds, glanced away out of confusion, then looked at her again. He pursed his lips, unsure of what she was thinking. Her presence wasn't making him feel any less awkward. The Prince adjusted his shirt over his shoulders, obviously self-conscious.

"Hey," Susie blurted out. A nervous sweat began beading on her forehead despite the relative coolness of the room. Her eyelids slammed shut, her mind back-peddling for a moment. She waited a couple seconds before opening her mouth again, eyes still shut. "I— wanna show you something."

Ralsei raised an eyebrow, confused more by Susie's apprehension than anything else. She opened one eye as if to look for some kind of permission. The desperation of her expression was less of a concern than whatever Ralsei responded with. Thankfully, that turned out to be an affirming nod, albeit a hesitant one. That was still enough for Susie to release the breath she unknowingly held captive.

"Mkay," she let out with her relieved sigh. "Well. Here." The girl placed a hand on her knee, lifting herself up from the ground with a persistent awkwardness none too familiar to Ralsei. She glanced around for a moment, her eyes locking on one of the shuttered windows. The crack of moonlight offered through the blinds fell on the beanbag Susie had seen earlier. Hesitantly, she raised a hand towards Ralsei, making a "this way" kind of motion before stepping towards the shutters. Ralsei peeled himself out of his sleeping bag, following Susie carefully.

The two strode in silence. Ralsei glanced to Kris as he walked, making a note of how still they were. He had to really squint hard to see the subtle movement of their chest rising and falling with their breaths. Susie was too busy with her inexperienced doubts to care much about their third. She didn't stumble, exactly, but there was a definite stagger to her steps. It wasn't often she had a reason to be nervous around Ralsei, of all people. Inexperience tended to do that.

After a lengthy half-dozen seconds, Susie stopped, standing in front of one of the windows. Ralsei halted himself just a foot behind her. Whatever was on the other side of the pane of glass was kept hidden by a haphazard row of shutters. A whisper of a curse fell from Susie's lips. Concerned, Ralsei leaned around to her side, trying to gauge the girl's features.

"Hate these things," she grumbled, reaching a hand towards a few strings dangling from the shutters. Ralsei couldn't immediately see the purpose of the decoration she grasped; three separate strings tied into a small bead at the window's base, apparently acting as some kind of operating system. It was new to him. Susie pulled at them, lifting one half on the shutters up with a small _*squeak*_.

Another curse fell from her lips. Her grasp on the strings relaxed, dropping the now-tilted shutters a quarter back to their original position. Now she grabbed two of the strings and yanked them downwards, resulting in the other half of the shutters lifting upwards while the other side fell completely. Susie tried raising the strings back up, which _did_ level out the shutters, but they covered the window about as much as before.

"Is this… a puzzle?" Ralsei questioned, still confused. Susie's brown hair whipped around violently as she shook her head, her earlier anxiety getting replaced by an obvious anger. Part of her was tempted to just rip off the stupid plastic bars entirely. All the other windows were shuttered, too.

"This ain't the thing," Susie muttered to Ralsei, using both hands to lift one string while another was brought downwards. The shutters finally began moving uniformly upwards. About a half second later, they got stuck in place, the strings apparently getting caught on some internal mechanism. Susie blinked, trying to repeat the action with a bit more force. It proved just as fruitless as before.

"UGH!" Susie exclaimed, furious. Her fist wrapped around the strings entirely, and with a brutish ferocity, she ripped them down at full force. A loud *BANG* echoed through the house as the shutters slammed together at the top of the window's frame. Ralsei immediately whipped around towards Kris, worried he'd find them sitting up on the couch, ripped from their sleep. Somehow, though, they remained just as placid as before.

Seeing the window finally opened, Susie let out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes. That could've gone smoother, but whatever. She stepped up to the glass, peering up at the sky outside. At least there weren't any clouds in the way. The usual anxieties settled back into place as Susie cleared her throat, turning to Ralsei. She found him looking back at Kris, evidently concerned about waking them up. Thankfully, that wasn't the case.

Susie hesitated for a little too long. She looked over Ralsei's form, eyes glancing over the boy's makeshift attire in the fresh moonlight. There was an odd kind of… charisma that his oversized shirt and weathered shorts gave him. That wasn't even taking into account his actual face. Another mandatory hesitation passed. Then, Susie cleared her throat a little louder, tapping a knuckle against the window's glass.

Ralsei heard the hints, turning around to see Susie's nervous posture. Despite her noticeably taller and more imposing stature, she stood like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. The effect it had on Ralsei was bizarre. Susie wordlessly motioned to the window next to her. Keeping the quiet, Ralsei tiptoed closer to see what she was referring to. A few glints of light was all it took for him to step a little closer.

"I-I just kinda, y'know, figured," Susie began, wringing her hands. All that earlier rage didn't help her nervousness in the slightest. Even now, she was unsure as to whether or not this was a good idea. Ralsei's silence wasn't telling her much. She tried to explain herself, with an emphasis on _tried._ "I mean— 'cause, it makes sense if you got… scared again, so…"

Ralsei didn't show the slightest hint of even hearing her. The boy was too busy pressing his face up against the window, his own glasses scratching against the pane. Outside, well-past a couple trees of the nearby forest, a midnight canvas stretched across the sky, dotted with hundreds upon thousands of twinkling sparkles. Each of them glittered with their own iridescence, uncontested by any light pollution or obstructing buildings. The home of Kris's father was a fair distance from the rest of the town, allowing the sky to shine its fullness without fault. Even the subtle violets and reds of space had managed to pierce the blackness, giving the sky a cosmic texture Ralsei had never seen before.

Susie forced herself to stop talking, hoping to whatever powers may be that she didn't have to. As enthralling as the sky was, her eyes stayed on Ralsei, observing the boy. He didn't say a word, hands moving against the glass as if to touch the sky itself. Hopefully that could be taken as a good sign. Susie moved up next to him, raising a hand as if to put it on his shoulder. She decided against it at the last second. Still Ralsei was silent. They stood in a combined quiet for what felt like hours. Accounting for Susie's anxieties, it was probably only half a minute, but that didn't change how _she_ felt about the lack of noise.

"It's… beautiful," Ralsei eventually spoke. "I've never seen anything like this." The obvious awe in his voice gave Susie enough confidence to let out another sigh of relief, her breath fogging up the window. She glanced at the sky herself. "Beauty" wasn't her strong suit, nor was this the first time she'd looked up at night, but there was definitely an effect the stars gave off. Having only the muffled sounds of nature outside accompany those stars led to Susie's mouth unhinging itself, the girl a tad readier to explain.

"Whenever _I_ got scared," she began, on the verge of whispering, "I'd go outside n' just… watch the sky. Something I used to do with…"

Susie paused for a second. "Just somethin' I used to do. Always helped me, so I figured… well, y'know. If you get another nightmare or something."

Ralsei kept his eyes glued to the space above for quite some time before giving any indication of his ears still functioning. Slowly, he turned towards Susie, noticing that her anxious stance hadn't completely left her yet. The jade of his eyes locked themselves to her, reflecting some of the stars through two layers of glass.

"You get scared?" was the first thing he asked. Though an honest question, there was an odd skepticism in his tone. The lingering awe of the stars didn't help. Surprised, Susie blinked.

"Uh, used to," she tried waving off. Her eyes darted away, shoving themselves to the side. Didn't think this far ahead. "Like, maybe when I was a kid? Not anymore, though. Ain't something I do."

Ralsei hummed, hearing more than his features let on. Still, he didn't push it, responding honestly. "It's quite hard to imagine you being scared. You're so tough and strong, Susie."

His admittance also surprised her. The obscurity of her features fell away to reveal the wide-eyed and warm-faced confusion that unsolicited compliments always gave her. Despite Ralsei's friendliness, she never did get over that. Moments later, Susie shrugged arrogantly, returning to her usual overconfidence. "Hell yeah, I am," she confirmed. If she didn't have that stupid blush Ralsei incited, she almost would've flexed a bicep for added effect. Almost.

Ralsei gave a genuine smile, then returned his features to the stars outside. Whether or not it actually helped with his nightmare, he did seem to enjoy the sight of the sky. Susie had to admit that his observance was a sight _she_ enjoyed, too. She definitely wasn't going to admit it out loud, though. More silence passed, not quite as uncomfortable as before. Susie glanced around for a moment, her eyes landing on the nearby beanbag. It looked to be more duct tape than cloth, so she had given the seat a pass last night. Now it looked like it was waiting for something.

Not wanting to break Ralsei's reprieve, Susie crouched down to the beanbag's height. Most of the tape was around the base of the chair. A silent hiss emanated from the seat as it slid across the carpet, the girl pulling it into a more favorable position. Ralsei turned just in time to see Susie patting down the beanbag as if to test its cushions. One satisfied nod later, she turned to Ralsei, patting its surface once again. He understood well enough, though still hesitated for a moment. Susie rolled her eyes.

"C'mon," she told him, pretending to be irritated. "Am I gonna have to throw you into this thing or what?"

Ralsei raised his hands defensively, though still grinned. His smile stayed cemented on his face through the entire process of sitting down. Evidently, Ralsei was also new to beanbags, because he nearly fell over a second later, barely managing to steady himself as the beanbag rocked in place. Susie had to stifle a laugh. A couple tries later, he sat comfortably, though not without an embarrassed blush. The low angle of the chair allowed for him to see the stars with about as much clarity as before. This time, he only glanced at them for a second before facing Susie again.

She stood just a little to his side, looking downwards with a proud smirk. The girl was plenty taller than him even when he was standing on the tips of his hooves. Between their opposing positions, she almost towered over him. Knowing the girl as well as he did prevented the intimidation that her height tended to give off. Instead, Ralsei carefully scooted himself towards one side of the beanbag. Susie's head tilted out of confusion as he nearly fell over a fourth time. Recognition washed over her features when Ralsei patted the area next to him, not unlike Susie had before.

"Nah, nah," she tried, shaking her head. Flattered as she was, Susie didn't think that was a good idea, for a number of reasons. "Ain't big enough. 'Sides, I'd probably break the damn thing on my own."

Strangely, Ralsei copied her stubbornness, patting the area again and keeping that fanged grin on his features. He wasn't pleading, exactly, but that was the effect his face usually gave off. Susie hated how effective it was. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she lowered herself back down towards the beanbag. Hopefully her grumbling could cover for the light warmth she felt in her face. Sitting down was easy enough; however, it seemed Ralsei _had_ misjudged exactly how much space the beanbag offered. Susie had to press herself against Ralsei's, the boy's fur rubbing against the bare scales of her arms. The alternative was to have half her rear hanging off the chair.

Susie glanced at him for a second. Her dumb blush wasn't going anywhere any time soon. The shared contact last night offered little help with the situation now. "See?" she said, hoping that she just imagined the subtle squeak in her voice. "Told ya. It's alright, man, you can—"

"Wait," Ralsei interrupted. That was new for him. Wordlessly, he leaned forwards, giving Susie's arm the space it so desperately needed. He twisted in place, turning away from Susie to place a gentle grasp around her hand. No resistance was given as he moved her arm behind him, raising her shoulder into a convenient little arch. The moment Susie understood what he was doing, Ralsei leaned back against the chair, now with Susie's arm reaching around him. She stared at him, feeling her hand loosely brush against his midriff.

"There, see?" he told Susie, sounding proud. A matching smile brought the corners of his lips upwards. Susie didn't say anything in response. Ralsei adjusted himself slightly, accommodating to the shape of his companion's arm. "Now we can both sit."

Just like before, Susie found herself comparing Ralsei to a plush toy, cuddly face and all. The boy's softness was _unreal_. Susie attempted to speak normally, not daring to move an inch. "Y-yeah," she stuttered, feigning overconfidence. Cursing to herself didn't improve her voice at all. "Uh, thanks. I guess."

Sitting comfortably wasn't too high of a priority for Susie, but Ralsei's contact made the task both challenging and trivial. A fraction of his weight leaned against her, emanating a definite warmth from his fur. His eyes returned to the stars outside, letting Susie stare without restraint. With how easily and downright _normal_ he was treating the situation, she would've assumed that it _was_ a normal thing to do with best friends. Last night should've been evidence enough. Something told her otherwise. Maybe it was paranoia. Still, while it took some time, Susie found herself settling into the unorthodox grasp she more-or-less had around Ralsei.

Her hand moved a sliver around him, contracting her fingers into a loose grip at his side instead of simply hanging there. Ralsei took it as a hint to lean more into Susie, his arm now sitting comfortably against her, devoid of the forced pressure they first had on each other. Saying it was comfortable would've been a bit of an understatement. Susie kept her head upright as long as possible, some part of her afraid of crushing her friend. That fear apparently wasn't shared as Ralsei moved himself against her, his head resting just above her chest.

"…thank you, Susie," he granted, his voice hushed. He sounded like he was in some sort of dream. Susie caught a glimpse of his eyes being shut before moving her own back to the sky outside (like he was supposed to be doing). Carefully, Susie adjusted her grasp again, now holding him just a fraction closer. A subtle hum of acknowledgement passed her lips. A fair amount of time passed as Susie maintained her hold on Ralsei, both of them quiet. About two minutes of building up confidence later, Susie risked talking.

"…Ralsei?" she began. The crickets outside were louder than her. Susie waited for a response, simultaneously patient and nervous. A dozen seconds of silence passed. Then Susie received her response in the form of a gentle snore. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't expecting something along those lines. Her free hand tapped against the beanbag a couple times in contemplation.

"Ralsei?" she tried again, as quiet as before. "Hey, you awake? Rals?"

Still nothing beyond the boy's soft snores; he was out like a light. Susie hesitated for another dozen seconds. Then, with a purposeful slowness, she leaned her head downwards, placing her lips against Ralsei's forehead. The contact lasted for only a moment before she pulled away, her face needlessly red. Thankfully, nobody was around to witness the smile she now had.

"Goodnight, Rals," she said to him, briefly squeezing him as a form of a one-armed hug. One last glance at the stars was given before the girl shut her eyes, allowing herself to nod off. If she kept them open just a second longer, she might've seen Ralsei's smile widen.


End file.
